Company president and chief asteroid miner Chris Lewicki said it was similar to the release of a beta-version of software for apps and computer programs.

"These days you can get pre-release alpha and beta versions of software, and, after they workout the bugs, they have a first release and find new feature requests and then create new versions," he said.

"There's a great advantage in that, because you can bring capability to market when it is ready, and you don't have to build it all at once, which is how we have explored space up until today."

The company plans to launch a second craft, Arkyd 6, later this year as part of this process.

Mr Lewicki said the goal was to build an industry in space, rather than to bring resources back to earth.

Corporations like 3D Systems and construction and civil engineering firm Bechtel are also investing in Planetary Resources.

Mr Lewicki was confident the company would be mining within several years.

"Asteroid mining might sound like a science fiction topic, but our company is deploying technology into space and even the governments of the world are taking up this topic and creating the policy and legal frameworks to support this activity," he said.

"So this isn't an activity that you'll have to wait for your grandchildren to enjoy. It is something we'll see unfold in front of our eyes in the next several years."